Textile operation



June 1, 1937. F. c. HALE ET AL TEXTILE OPERATION Filed Feb. 20, 1934 FRANK c- HALE GEORGE c- TYCE INVENTO G ATTORl/EKS Patented June 1, 1937 TEXTILE OPERATION Frank Corbyn Hale and George Crawford Tycc, Spondon, near Derby, England, assignors to Celaneae Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application February 20, 1934, Serial No. 712,148 In Great Britain March 23, 1933 scum.

This invention relates to the manufacture of,

yarns which are produced from threads of continuous filaments but which have the appearance and character of'spun yarn made from staple fibres.

In U. S. application S. No. 696,375 filed 2nd November, 1933 methods are described of converting continuous filament threads directly into spun yarns by passing such continuous filament 0 threads successively through at least two sets of breaking rollers, which are rotated at successively higher peripheral speeds so as to subject the filaments to a breaking tension and to convert them into fibres, the fibrous material produced being twisted according to this specification into the final yarns (e. g. by ring or cap spinning devices) as it proceeds from the breaking rollers. In the conversion of filamentous material into fibres in this manner, the length of each staple fibre does not substantially exceed the distance between the two sets of breaking rollers, and that portion of the thread which lies between the breaking rollers comprises a number of filaments extending from one set of rollers to the other, and in addition a number of filaments whose broken ends lie between the two sets of rollers. The filaments thus emerge from the last pair of breaking rollers as a bundle of staple fibres which is subsequently twisted to form a staple fibre yarn.

We have found that the certainty of the operation and the uniformity of the product can be much improved in such operation if the filaments being treated are caused, during the application of the breaking tension, viz. while they are proceeding from the first to the second set of breaking rollers, to pass through guiding means adapted to confine them within a space which is restricted laterally of the filaments so as to prevent fibres falling away, and so as to direct the filaments and fibres accurately to the second set of rollers. In this way, the danger of the continuity of the filaments being broken is consid erably reduced, as also is the possibility of irregularity in the filamentous thread. Further, there is avoided the production of an excessive number of free ends or beard in the twisted yarn made from the broken material. This is of especial significance when filaments of cellulose acetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose are concerned, since such materials are particularly liable to collect electric charges which render them difiicult to manage in loose fibrous form and liable to separate from the main mass. Conveniently, the guiding means may consist of a tube through which the material passes, a slit being provided if desired along the length of the tube to facilitate threading.

One form of apparatus according to the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 illustrates the invention applied to' filament-converting apparatus of the type described in U. S. applications S. Nos. 696,374 and 696,375 filed 2nd November, 1933;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a. detail of Fig. 1 on larger scale, while Fig. 3 is an end elevation view of the detail shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, a plurality of continuous filaments 5 are drawn from one or more packages, or other source of supply, (not shown), by a pair of breaking rollers 6,1 and proceed through a further pair of breaking rollers 8, 9 to a cap-spinning device III by way of a lappet guide i l. The rollers 8, 9 rotate at a higher rate than the rollers 6, 1 and stretch the continuous filaments beyond their breaking point, the resulting staple fibrous material I! being twisted by the cap-spinning device I 0 and wound on a bobbin l3.

A tube It horizontally disposed between the two sets of rollers 6, I and 8, 9 surrounds the fi1a ments whilst they are being broken and provides support for the filaments along almost the whole of their run between the two sets of rollers. inside diameter of the tube is not greatly in excess of the diameter of the bundle of filaments being treated, so that in addition to confining the bundle within a relatively close area, and preventing loosened filaments dropping out of the body of the bundle during the breaking operation, any whip of the filaments, resulting from their rupture under tension, is restrained.

In order to minimize the wear upon the respective pairs of rollers, the tube I4 is arranged to act as a traversing guide for the filaments, and is attached to a traversing rod l5 by means of a clamp I5 and screw H, the traversing rod being reciprocated along the length of the rollers by eccentric, cam, or like means (not shown). The extent of reciprocation of the rod I5 is governed in accordance with the width of the rollers. Thus, if the operative part of the rollers is, say, 4 inches in length, the guide tube may be traversed over a distance of 3 inches, i. e. to within inch of each end of the operative part of the rollers. Such distribution of Wear is of especial importance when non-metallic or comparatively soft materials are employed for the surfaces of the rollers, for example when rollers of synthetic The.

resinsare employed as described in U. S. application S. No. 696,374.

The tube I4 and clamp 16 are slotted at ll and I9 respectively, in order to facilitate threading of the filaments through the tube at the commencement of the breaking operation, the tube being suitably rounded at each extremity to allow of smooth entry and exit of the filaments.

Pressure between the two pairs of breaking rollers is maintained by a bridge-piece 2| which rides at its extremities on the axles 2|, 22 of the rollers I and 9 respectively, the pressure being regulated by a bolt 23 and a nut 24, which may be housed in any of three apertures 25, 26, and 21 in the bridge-piece 20. The rollers may be of any desired length and may accommodate any suitable number of filamentous ends. The guide tubes for the several filamentous ends may conveniently be clamped to the same traversing rod IS.

The tube It is preferably formed of hard material such as steel, brass, glass, or porcelain in order to avoid undue wear or scoring of the interior of the tube by passage of the filaments therethrough, while the traversing rod l5 and clamp l6 may be made from any suitable metal. When the invention is carried out in connection with yarns which are liable to become electrified by friction with the working parts of the machine, as is the case with yarns of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose, brass or porcelain guide tubes are found particularly suitable. Where a brass tube is used it is advisable to connect the tube to earth in order to assist in reducing the disadvantages arising from any charge which may be engendered upon the filaments. In this manner the handling of the filaments in the breaking and spinning operation is facilitated, and the filaments which are brought and maintained together in the form of a relatively compact thread of staple fibre have less tendency to spread out under electrical infiuences.

The staple fibrous end may be twisted directly by a high speed spinning device, as described and illustrated, or it may be treated as a roving and submitted to further passage between drawing rollers, either for the purpose of draughting or for further breakage or both, prior tospinning into a yarn. In this case also, the guide means according to the present invention may be employed. Any kind of continuous or substantially continuous filaments may be used, and particularly artificial filaments. While the invention may be applied to continuous artificial filaments of reconstituted cellulose such as viscose or cuprammonium filaments, it is especially convenient in connection with continuous filaments of cellulose acetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose referred to above. Examples of other organic derivatives of cellulose are other cellulose esters such as formate, propionate or butytinuous filaments of cellulose acetate, comprising subjecting thefilaments to a breaking tension and, along substantially the whole of that part of their length over which such tension is applied, confining the filaments within a space which is restricted laterally of the filaments so that they maintain substantially the same longitudinal position.

3. Apparatus for producing staple fibres from continuous filaments, comprising pairs of nip rollers arranged in parallel relation and adapted to grip continuous filaments and subject them to a breaking tension, and a member disposed between one pair of nip rollers and the next, said member having a passage therein extending from a point near the nip of one pair of rollers to a point near the nip of the next pair of rollers and adapted to confine substantially the whole of the length of filaments passing from one pair of rollers to the next within a. space which is restricted laterally of the filaments.

4. Apparatus for producing staple fibres from continuous filaments, comprising two pairs of hip rollers arranged in parallel relation and adapted to grip continuous filaments'and subject them to a breaking tension, and a tube disposed between the two pairs of nip rollers and extending from a point near the nip of the first pair of rollers to a point near the nip of the second pair of rollers so as to confine substantially the whole of the length of filaments passing from the first pair of rollers to the second pair within a space which is restricted laterally of the filaments.

5. Apparatus for producing staple fibres from continuous filaments, comprising two pairs of nip rollers arranged in parallel relation and adapted to grip continuous filaments and subject them to a breaking tension, and a tube disposed between the two pairs of nip rollers and extending from a point near the nip of the first pair of rollers to a point near the nip of the second pair of rollers so as to confine substantially the whole of the length of filaments passing from the first pair of rollers to the second pair within a space which is restricted laterally of the filaments, said tube being slotted along its length to allow of quick threading of the filaments therethrough.

FRANKCORBYN HALE. GEORGE CRAWFORD TYCE. 

